Method of manufacturing seamless rims and wheel disks



192 Apnl A. J. MICHELIN METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SEAMLESS RIMS AND WHEELDISKS Filed Nov.l0. 1925 s Sheets-Sheet 1 E i .11 Y

I 1,623,883 P 1927' A. J. MICHELIN METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SEAMLESS RIMSAND WHEEL DISKS Filed Nov. 10. 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Apri 1927- A, J.MICHELIN METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SEAMLESS RIMS AND WHEEL DISKS 6Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 10. 1925 nil III/ IIIIIIIIiIlIIIlIIIIIII/IIII1,623 883 Apnl 1927' A. J. MICHELIN METHOD OF MANUFACTURING smuwss RIMSAND WHEEL msxs FiledNovJO. 1925 s Sheets-Sheet 4 54 1 00 1 tdz .lmdwlinApril 1927' A. J. MlCHELllfl METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SEAMLESS RIMS ANDWHEEL DISKS Filed Nov. 10. 1925 a Sheets-Sheet a 1,623,883 April 1927'A. J. MICHELIN METHOD OFMANUFACTURING SEAMLESS RIMS AND WHEEL DISKSFiled Nov; 10. 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Apr. 5, 19 27.-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

- AN DRE JULESMIGHELIN, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SEAMLESS RIMS AND WHEEL DISKS.

Application filed November 10,1925, Serial No. 68,134, and in France(provisional) August 17, 1925.

wheels.

According tomy invention, the material is secured in the form of a sheetmetal disk of less diameter than either the rim, which is subsequentlymade from the periphery thereof, or of the wheel body cut from thecentral portion of the disk after treatment by mechanical processes, aswill'be hereinafter described. This disk may be either solid orcentrally perforated, as desired, and

this disk is subjected either hot or cold to a series of mechanicalprocesses, as will be.

hereinafter described, until the outer portion thereof is in such shapethat it can be readily formed into a seamless rim, as will behereinafter described in detail. The central portion, is removed and maybe converted into a disk suitable for use as a connector between the huband the rim of one of the well known Michelin disk; wheels, such forinstance as are shown in my U. S. Patent No.'1,37 6,390,

' granted April '26, 1921, and entitled Demountable wheel; or in my U.S. Patent No.-

1 1,413,051, granted 'April 18 1922, and entitled Method ofmanufacturing vehicle wheels; or in my U. S. Patent No. 1,439,571,

' granted December 19, 1922, and entitled Brake drum.

; My invention will be more fully. understood after reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which the several steps 0 the method ofmanufacture are illustrated, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the sheet metal blank in the form of aperforated disk,

- after its contour, has been altered by rolling,

adapted for use in the manufacture of the rim and wheel disk hereinafterdescribed; Fig. lshow's a similar view of a solid sheet metal disk adated for use in carrying out my improve method;

Figs. 2 and-2f show respectively sections along the lines 2-2 and 2f-2of Figs. 1 and 1"; Fig. 3 showsthe 'disk on a larger scale,

the rolls being indicated in dotted lines; 7 i Fig. 4 shows the disk ofFig. 3 after it 7 has been removed from. the rollers;

Fig. 4' is a similar viewof the disk shown in Fig. 1*.after...itscross-section has been altered as shown, by rolling; a

Fig. 4 shows the disk of Fig. 1 further not needed in forming the rim,

ment. 1

shown in Fig. 1, after it has been cupped and shaped to form one type ofrim, and before the central disk is removed;

Flg. 6 is a plan view of the shaped blank as shown in Fig. 5, andillustrates the parts to be removed before the seamless rim is formed;

' Fig. 7 shows diagrammatically the 'outer portion of the blank shown inFigs. 5 and 6 subjected to the final shaping treatment;

Fig.- 8 is a sectional elevation showing the rim of Fig. 7 detached fromthe shaping apparatus;

Fig. 9 shows the blank of Fi 1, but shaped to a 'diflerent contour, aapted to form a seamless rim of a different crosssection from that shownin Figs.'5 to 8;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the blank shown in Fig.9, and indicating thepart to be removed;

Fig.

method of forming the outer band out from removed;

Fig. 15 shows diagrammatically the cylinaltered in cross-section by'mechanical. treat- 11' shows diagrammatically the v drical bandremoved from Fig. 13, being further shaped between rollers;

Fig. 16 shows diagrammatically a section along the line 16-16 of Fig.15;

Fig. 17 shows the sub uent treatment of the central disk after it asbeen removed from the blank in the process of being rolled into a wheeldisk;

Fig. .18 is a side elevation on a smaller scale Fig. 19 shows a sectionalong the line 19-19' of Fig. 18, showing the wheel disk after it hasbeen rolledla'nd before it has been shaped to its final form for use onthe wheel; W

Fig. '20 is a sectional elevation showing the d1sk of Fig. 18, shaped tobe assemble as by welding with the rum shown inFlg. 7

Fig. 21 is a similar view showing another form of wheel disk connectedto the rim of Fig. 7, as by welding;

Fig. 22 is asimilar view showing still another form of wheel diskflanged to be connected as by welding with the seamless I ,rim shown inFig. 12;

at A in Figs. 1 and 2, or whether it is solid as shown at A in Figs. l'and 2, and the hereinafter described series orsteps will be generallysimilar for either form of blank, but where it is d'esired'to carry outthe ancillary method of forming a wheel disk from the same blank as aseamless disk, it will be more convenient to start with the centrallyperforated blank, as shown in Figs.- 1 and 2.

Such a blank under treatment in Fig. 3, where it is being rolled betweenthe shaping'roller B and the conical roller B, the blank A being clampedbetween the jaws of the rotary chuck C, shown diagrammatically in Fig.3. 'During this rolling, the diameter of the blank A is increased, itswalls are made thin, and it is provided with an annular groove a of ashape corresponding to the contour of the shaping roller B.

After being rolled to the desired shape, as shown in Fig. 4, the blankis cupped by pressure along the axis of the rim between dies of suitableform, until the desired crosssection is secured, such for instance as Ashown in Fig. 5.. The sidewalls of the cup are now in such shape to beconveniently converted into a seamless rim, and the central portion isremoved by shearing, punch.-

ing or cutting along the line azm of Flg. 5

or the dotted circle a:m of Fig. 6. After processes herein described.subsequently treated,v as hereinafter dethe central portion is removedit may be scribed. The annular band of irregular cross-section maythenbe shaped to the desired crosssection shown in Figs. 7 and 8 by a.press of suitable contour, such for instance the plunger D. the block Dand the sleeve D shown in'Fig. 7

' After being so shaped, the rim may be removed from the apparatus andbecomes one of the well known types of rim., The rim may be used as itcomes from the apparatus,.

without further treatment, or if desired,'it may be burnished orpolished or trimmed up with suitable tools, according to suchrequirements as may exist.

is shown diagrammatically' Such a rim is shown assembled with the wheeldisc in- Figs.- and 21.

The manufacture of a-rim of the clincher type is illustrated in Figs. 9to 12, in which the blank is cupped preferably by pressforging, to theshape. shown in Fig. 9, and the edges of the side walls A are preferablythickened somewhat, as at a incident to the process of manufacture. Thebottom of'the cup is cut out along the line 00-00 of Fig. 9 or thedotted circle mai of Fig. 10, leaving;

.the disk A and the annular band A th;

latter being of substantially cylindrical form. This annular band maythen be shaped to'the clincher type by radial com v Fig. 12. This rimmay be used without further alteration, or it may be polished; orburnished or otherwise treated before -or after being mounted on. thewheel.

In the arrangement shown in ,Fig. 13, the solid disk having been rolledor stamped to the shape shown in Fig; 4", it is cupped so that the sidewalls A are substantially.

cylindrical. This cupping may be conveniently done by press-forging; andwhen socupped the bottom-portion is cut away along the lines m-m of Fig.13 or the dotted circle a:w.of Fig. 14 andthe removed portion may betreated se arately, as hereinafter described. The s1de walls thenwhstitute an annular band, which may be bent directly to the desiredshape any convenient way, or the profile of this band may be altered, asby rolling between rollers -F and F, as shown in Figs. 15 and 16, inwhich case the edges of the annular band are thickened, as at a. Thisband may then be shaped to form the complete seamless rim, I

such for instance as that shown in Fig. 12, following the methodsalready described with reference toFigs. 9 to 12; or any other desiredprofile in cross-section may be imparted to the seamless rim by themechanical In the manufacture of the seamless rim, as just described,the profile of the crosssection of the rimmay obviously be varied andthe thickness of the walls at various points ma also be varied 'bywell-known mechanica by the use of well-known bufling or burnishin orcutting tools. g

ile I have shown various profiles of rim in cross-section, obviouslythese may be Y processes, such as stamping, press-forging, roll1ng,- orvcutting. The rim 1,eas,esa

. scribed may be bolted or welded or Otherwise attached to the wheelbody, and such mode of attachment is not a part of my present invention.I

It will be noted that in the manufacture of the seamless rim, ashereinbefore described, the circumferential portion only of I the blankis used, and the central portion and described and claimed in my iseither stamped or sheared or removed therefrom in any convenient Way.While this central portion may be used for various urposes, it isespecially adapted for use i \n the manufacture of the 'webs or disks ofdisk wheels, such as are illustrated and described in mypatents-aforesaid or illustrated P d applications, Serial Nos. 37 4,505and 374,506, both 'filed April 16, 1920, and both entitled Improvementsin vehicle wheels.

The manufacture of such webs or disks as ancillary to the principalinvention, the manufac-ture of seamless rims, will now be described.

Assuming the central ortion A to have after it has been shaped, forinstance as shown in Figs. 5 and 9, incident to the manufacture of theseamless rim, this central portion will also be in the form of aperforated disk, and it is rolled between conical rollers B and B, asshown in Fig. 17, to the form shown in Figs. 18 and 19.- It 'is thenpreferably dished, as

shown in Figs. 20 to 24, and bolt holes a"- are provided in the thickercentral portion, so as to secure the same to the hub of the wheel. Theouter edge of this web may be cupped, as shown at a in Fig. 20 or at ain Fig. 22, and secured to the rim inany convenient way as by welding;or the outer edge of the web may be secured directly .to-

the rim, as by welding, and without any cupping, as shown at a" in Fig.21, or the web and the, rim may be connected together by someintermediate means, such as the ring G made in cross-section in the formof an angle-iron and the bolts H, .as shown in Fig. 23. v

When the web and the rim are so connected together, the tire L may beapplied as.

shown in Fig. 24, and the web connected to the flange i of the hub I ofthe wheel, as by means of the bolts .K, as shownin Fig. 24.

Thus, it will be seen that out of a single .P

blank of sheet metal I may manufacture both a seamless rim and a web,which connects the rim to the hub of the wheel, the two togetherconstituting portions of tile well-known Michelin disk wheels.

While I ha e illustrated and described the seamless rim as connected tothe web pf a disk wheel, it will be obvious that the seamless rim may beused with other types of wheels, such as-wheels with wooden spokes orwire spokes, and it will be seen that the rim maybe attached to thewheel in any desired way, and I do not mean to limit the invention tosuch details.

In the claims I intend the term mechanical processes to cover forging,hammering, rolling, punching, drawing, shearing, cutting, or the like,or any one or more of these, where the operation is performed mainly bypower-operated machinery.

I also mean by the term malleable metal, as used in the claims, anymetal or alloy which may be rolled, drawn, or forged, or similarlyworked or wrought.

In carrying out the herein-described method, the various mechanicalprocesses, or each of them,may be carried out while the blank is eitherhot or-cold. I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim' and desire to securebyLetters Patent of the United States isi 1. The method of manufacturingfrom a single blank of resilient metal, both a seamless weldlessmetallic rim and a wheel disk, the two being adapted to be joinedtogether to form a resilient wheel body for use on automobiles, whichconsists in preparing a disk of malleable metal of smaller radialdiameter than the finished wheel body, subjecting this disk tomechanical processes so as to form a peripheral flanged portion and acentral web, separating said central web from said peripheral portion,shaping by the two being adapted to be joined together to form aresilient wheel body for use on automobiles, which consists in preparinga disk of malleable metal of smaller radial diameter than the finishedwheel body, subjectin this disk to mechanical processes so as'to cm acup-shaped body having a pcripheral flanged portion and a central web,

separating said centralvweb from said peripheral portion, sha ing bymechanical rocesses theflpemphera portion to form an annular .wel essrim of the desired crosssectional profile adapted to receive and hold,zapnenmatic tire, and formin b mechanirocesses from said centr we adished r 'ient wheel'disk.. Y

ANDRE-JULES MICHELIN.

